On the other side stood important figures like Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen. Justin accused the Jewish opponents of Christianity of deliberately rejecting certain pseudepigraphical books on the basis that they contained passages of apologetic use for Christian doctrine. To Justin such material was authentic Scripture. Clement regularly cited pseudepigraphical books in his writings (e.g., 1 Enoch), but does not appear to consider them canonical. He even cites Paul as advocating the use of “Hellenic books” like the Sibylline Oracles because of their usefulness. These oracles are in fact quoted hundreds of times in the Fathers. Origen’s attitude was much the same. It is clear from his work on the Hexapla that Origen considered the canon to be fixed along traditional lines. However, he freely quoted pseudepigraphic material to support his understanding of Scripture.

Jude forthrightly claims that he was led by God in the writing of his epistle (see notes on Jude 3). He referred to the dispute of Michael with Satan over the body of Moses (Jude 9) and the prophecy of Enoch made even before the great Flood (Jude 14). These two events are known elsewhere only from the pseudepigraphical books known, respectively, as and . Jude’s inspired references to these books do not, of course, mean that the books themselves were inspired writings, but rather that certain portions of them did convey authentic histories. They were written some time before the time of Christ, and apparently, whatever their original source may have been, did have at least some true historical records preserved in them. Consequently, Jude gives us certain fascinating insights into the ancient world which had not been inscripturated before.

Attribution of the origin of sin to Eve was not typical of Jewish interpretation at the time Sirach was written (second century .). The common view was that sin had its beginning in the cohabitation of evil angels with human women described in Gen 6:1–4 (see the pseudepigraphical books of 1 Enoch 6:1–6; 7:1–6; 15:2–16; Jubilees 5:1–6; 10:1, 5–9, 11; the Cairo Damascus Document 11:16–18). Later, the rabbis usually traced the origin of sin and death to Adam rather than to Eve. If Ben Sira is referring to Eve in Sir 25:24, then he held an uncommon view for his time.

The ApocryphaAnother group of books often called “lost books” is the Apocrypha. While the pseudepigraphical books were written within 200 years of the time of Christ (centered on the New Testament time period), the apocryphal books were written during the period of the Old Testament, but long after the original Old Testament Scriptures were completed.

Eusebius distinguishes four groups of books: (1) (most of our twenty-seven), (2) (James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John), (3) (various apocryphal New Testament books), and (4) (primarily pseudepigraphical books). He has Revelation in both the accepted and rejected categories, saying opinion on it at the time was divided.

This aspect of the study of the pseudepigraphical ..

(1) that no writer could be inspired who lived subsequent to the apostolic age; (2) that no writing could be recognized as canonical unless it was accepted as such by the churches in general (in Latin the principle was--quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus). Now it was felt that many if not most of the religious writings which came in the end of the 2nd century to be called "apocryphal" in a disparaging sense had their origin among heretical sects like the Gnostics, and that they had never commanded the approval of the great bulk of the churches. Origen (died 253) held that we ought to discriminate between books called "apocryphal," some such having to be firmly rejected as teaching what is contrary to the Scriptures. More and more from the end of the 2nd century, the word "apocrypha" came to stand for what is spurious and untrustworthy, and especially for writings ascribed to authors who did not write them: i.e. the so-called "Pseudepigraphical books."

Apocrypha for books rejected by Jews but accepted by some Christians;

The Apocrypha Index - Internet Sacred Text Archive Home

The word pseudepigrapha means “falsely attributed” so technically pseudepigraphical books are ancient Jewish books that bear the name of an author who didn’t actually compose them. Entitling a work after the name of a famous person was a common practice in the ancient Near East. The pseudepigrapha are Jewish religious writings dating from around 300 B.C. to A.D. 300. Pseudepigraphal books were never accepted into the Hebrew canon or Christian canon. To say that in another way: the pseudepigrapha contains works that never made it into any official Bible—Christian or Jewish. Among the many works considered to be pseudepigrapha are: Apocalypse of Abraham, Books of Adam and Eve, Apocalypse of Adam, Book of Enoch, Books of Giants, and Testament of Solomon.

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Virtually all the books considered over time to be apocryphal (by both Catholics and Protestants) can be expected to contain at least some truth in them. And they may even have some accurate historical accounts of Jesus or the disciples that did not make it into the canon. There are many parallels and similarities between canon and the pseudepigraphical books, but these books were generally rejected because of obvious flaws of one kind or another in doctrine or content that are apparent to virtually all Christian readers who have studied them. They are worth reading and studying, but they are not considered by the Christian community as a whole to be "the infallible word of God".